Panorama stalks alleged stalker's twin brother

Beeb in mistaken identity fiasco

The Beeb's Panorama team demonstrated they've got the investigative right stuff by stalking an alleged stalker's twin brother.

The hit squad working on Stop Stalking Me staked out the chap's house in Ormskirk, Lancashire, for a week, then moved in for the kill. Front man Richard Bilton collared his victim on the street and "accused him of stalking a former girlfriend", the Telegraphexplains.

The surveillance target promptly marched to a cop shop to protest. A Lancashire police spokesman explained: "On January 22, a man reported being followed from the end of his road to the police station. He said they had filmed him and asked him questions about a court case that was ongoing but that it was a case of mistaken identity."

He added: "Officers spoke to the crew, who were causing the man stress. The matter was dealt with at the time."

A BBC spokesman offered: "There was a case of mistaken identity involving someone who lived at the same address and used the same vehicle as the man we were trying to put questions to. This did not feature in any way in the broadcast programme.

"The Panorama investigation into stalking is clearly in the public interest and the police investigation into the case is still ongoing."

Stop Stalking Me was broadcast last Monday, without any footage of the alleged perp's innocent twin. ®